While Europe’s popular holiday hubs struggle with heaving crowds and overtourism protests, several destinations on the continent remain far quieter—and often cheaper.
Mr Colvin-Slee, a Serbia specialist adviser at Cox & Kings, says the country remains underrated despite its natural beauty: “It’s an undiscovered place for a lot of people – we send more people to Albania and Bosnia – but it’s got some really impressive spots,” he told BBC Travel.
The country’s epic mountains draw hikers in the summer and skiers in the winter, and ecotourists who come to enjoy the birdlife and natural springs in the foothills are also becoming more popular.
Mr Colvin-Slee praised Serbia’s second city, Novi Sad: “There’s Hapsburg heritage in this region, so you’ll find chocolate-box buildings like in Prague and Budapest, but barely anyone there in terms of tourists.”
Centar Zupa in North Macedonia, where 85% of the population is Turkish, is also vying to become a major tourism hotspot by enticing visitors with its historical treasures.
Located about an hour’s drive from two of Macedonia’s most popular destinations, Ohrid and Struga, the town was formed by families who settled there.
Many Turkish visitors have flocked to the area recently, something Centar Zupa Mayor Ariyan İbrahim believes is helping put the small village on the map.
Temperatures peak at around 30C during June, July, and August, with around 10 hours of sunshine each day. However, it’s milder in May and September, when the mercury hovers around 20-25C.
It’s also famously affordable, with a three-course meal including wine only costing around £11 per person, while accommodation in a private double room is said to be approximately £28.50.
Another great, sunny destination just hours from the UK with fewer tourists is Albania.
Overlooking the Adriatic and Ionian seas, this country has a beautiful Riviera with stunning beaches and coves that are said to rival those found on the shores of Greece easily.
Laura Hewson, a backpacker from New Zealand who visited Croatia last autumn, told Express.co.uk at the time: “We were planning to go to Croatia.
“But one of our friends who’d been to Albania told us [we should go there]. They said it’s like Greece or Croatia but cheaper and a lot more beautiful because there are not as many tourists.
Hewson said the palm-tree beachfront was almost completely devoid of the crowds of sunseekers you find at other tourist spots, while the town had all the necessary amenities —at a bargain price.
Dinner in the country rarely sets travellers back more than £10 to £15 per person, even in high-end establishments.
Meanwhile, if you’re travelling on a budget, you can find freshly prepared pizzas for under £5, while beers on Vlore’s main strip beers start at just £2, with spirits and cocktails for around £4.
Flights from the UK are also affordable, with direct flights from London to the Albanian capital for as little as £28.
Georgia is also attracting sunseekers, with the capital, Tbilisi, hailed for its rich mix of European, Eastern, medieval, and Soviet influences and low prices.
It also sees average high temperatures of around 30C during the day in June, dropping to a slightly cooler 18C at night.
There’s also some incredible architecture, with Old Tbilisi, designated a world heritage site by UNESCO, providing a labyrinth of beautiful brick houses with pastel-coloured, wooden carved balconies.